I adore the assertive flavor of ginger, but it’s also very good for you: ginger is reputed to remedy digestive issues including stomach upset and nausea.

I enjoy using fresh ginger in my cooking and I like snacking on and adding crystallized (aka “candied”) ginger to all sorts of recipes, as well. Crystallized ginger is one of those things I’ve wondered about making pretty much every time I’ve placed some in my shopping cart. Years of wondering, people. Years.

Turns out it’s a lot easier to make than I imagined it would be.

To make candied/crystallized ginger at home, you’ll need a fairly large amount of fresh ginger. Since it was my first time trying this recipe, I candied a 1/2 pound piece…

…but you can easily double the amounts of everything.

I cut the ginger with a mandoline slicer- mandolines are great for ensuring slices with uniform thickness- but if you don’t have one, a very sharp knife can be used instead. If you do have a mandoline, always use care when slicing because the blades are VERY sharp.

Make sure not to discard the syrup when you strain the ginger slices: it’s great mixed into seltzer and tea, and I imagine it’s fantastic over yogurt (or vanilla ice cream), too.

Slices of purchased candied ginger are usually completely covered with sugar: I used a fairly light hand when I sprinkled mine, and I chose demerara sugar for the final toss because I love the color, size, and taste of the crystals. The type of sugar and the amount you use for the last step is up to you. Use less if you want your candied ginger to retain a spicy bite, and more if you like your candied ginger to be quite sweet.

Recipe for Crystallized Ginger

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Slice the ginger into 1/8 inch thick slices using a mandoline or a sharp knife. The slices should all be the same thickness so they cook evenly.

2. Put the sliced ginger into a pot on the stove and pour in enough water to just cover the ginger. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes until most, but not all, of the liquid has cooked off (you want about 1/4 cup of liquid to remain).

3. Add the sugar to the ginger slices and remaining water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.

4. Drain the ginger slices over a colander, reserving the ginger syrup for another use.

5. Spread the wet ginger slices out on a cooling rack set over waxed paper. Sprinkle one side of the slices with organic sugar. Allow to dry for a few hours, then turn over and sprinkle the other side with organic sugar.

6. Once sprinkled with sugar and completely dry, the slices will keep in an airtight container for several months.

Mmmm how I love crystallized ginger but of course I like ginger anything. :) I’ve never even considered making my own or knew how. Thank you SO much for the instructions, it sounds wonderful. Your crystallized ginger is beautiful! Love it! :)

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Amy Hanridge. Amy Hanridge said: RT @drwinnie: A recipe for homemade crystallized ginger- a tasty snack/recipe addition that's also good for the tummy! http://su.pr/AZ5sYk [...]

This is so much easier than I thought it would be! Don’t you just adore crystallized ginger? So good…especially in baked goods. Thank you for sharing this yummy idea with me. I hope you have a wonderful New Years with your family and friends!

I love crystallized ginger and use it for so many things, including just plain eating it out of the bag, adding it to my homemade apple pie and some of my quick breads. Making it yourself (thank you for the recipe – it looks easy as can be) is obviously more cost effective AND if you need to be gluten free, it lets you control the circumstances so that you can be assured that it’s made in a gluten free environment. Thank you!

Thank you so much for posting this. I have just moved to an area where I cannot get the spices and things I am used to getting and one thing I am missing is having crystalized ginger to snack on and use in recipes. I knew it had to be easy but I did not know how easy!!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!!!

Thank u so much was only thinking yesterday I should try
Making my own ginger syrup when I emptied my store brought jar.
I always buy naked ginger in the bag. So now I can have both. I’
I’m going to try it with coconut sugar

Why not try using Coconut Sugar instead? It’s less toxic then Cain sugar and far less people are allergic to Coconut sugar! Our society is to dependent on Cain Sugar and as a result our bodies are struggling from sever allergies and even disease from over consuming it!

[...] and crystallized ginger for a little healthful and slightly spicy “oomph”. I used my homemade crystallized ginger: it has less of a bite than the kind you buy in the store and I love how the demerara sugar [...]

[...] if you’re not up for it, but really, it’s simple – I followed the instructions over at Healthy Green Kitchen, and the only trouble I ran into was that my ginger didn’t completely dry out overnight, easily [...]

I needed ginger so I bought some at the grocery store today. I bought a LOT and then when I got home I asked myself what in the world I was going to do with it all. Thanks for this recipe. I’m sure I’ll love the finished product.

Welcome!

Hi there! I'm Winnie. I am a published author and I create and photograph the recipes here at Healthy Green Kitchen. I am also a nutrition and strength coach, as well as a competitive powerlifter. I live in NY's Hudson Valley with my husband, kids, cats, dogs, and chickens.